Suction control for cigar-wrapper carriers



J. F. HALSTEAD SUCTION CONTROL FOR 'CIGARIWRAPPER CARRIERS July 23, .1929.

2 Shuts-Sheet; 1

Filed lay 9, 1928 w a I f a 11 15% V fi 3 Idlllllllll INVI NTO BY E 5 ATTORNEY F the wrappers.

Patented July 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. HALSTEAD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASS IGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL CIGAR MACHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SUCTION CONTROL FOB CIGAR-WRAPPER CARRIEBS.'

Application filed May 9, 1928. Serial No. 276,371.

This invention relates to suction control devices for cigar machine wrapper carriers, its main object being to provide means for shutting off the suction automatically when the suction plate of the carrier head is removed for cleaning. Another object is to provide such a valve which is also operative to control suction in the carrier head during the wrapping operation. A further object is to so arrange the suction control means as to be easily detachable and readily replaceable for inspection and cleaning, without. disturbing the adjustment of the same.

For the purpose of holding the wrapper by suction, the face of the wrapper carrier head is made in the form of a readily removable plate, which is perforated with holes communicating with the suction chamber within the carrier. This plate is taken off from time to time to clear the suction holes, which become obstructed by surplus paste or by tobacco dust held in them by the gum and moisture deposited on the suction head by At the beginning of a new run, after the machine has been emptied of tobacco and stopped for cleaning which as a rule occurs four times a day in most cigar factories, the wrapper carrier runs idle during six or more cycles until the first bunch arrives at the wrapping device. During this idle period, the cover is left off in order to prevent it from being covered with paste when the carrier stops at the pasting station of the cigar machine without a wrapper, as such paste would enter and clog the suction holes and would interfere with the subsequent proper working of the carrier. Before the carrier cover is replaced, the open suction chamber will pick up dust and scraps from the cutting die and wrapping device, and if an inexperienced or careless operator at such time places a wrapper on the die, the whole wrapper will even be drawn into the suction chamber, with the result that the whole suction way may become so badily clogged that the entire wrapper carrier has to be taken apart to remove the obstruction.

To avoid this difiiculty, the present invention provides a valve which is held open by the suction head plate and automatically closes the instant the plate is removed, thereby cutting off the suction from the open suction head. Besides thus automatically cutting ofi the suction during the cleaning peri od, thisvalve is also arranged to control special valve is omitted in the present invention and the automatic cut off valve is made to perform this function also, by arranging it so that in one osition it will cut oil the suction from one o the compartments and by providing suitable operating mechanism for moving the valve to this position at the proper time.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain constructions and combinations which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawin Fig. 1 is a side elevation, art l; in section, of a wrapper carrier embodying the improved suction control arrangement;

F Fig. 2 is a top view of the device shown in ig. 3 is a lateral cross section of the suction head taken on line 33 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a top view of the suction head,

partly broken away;

Fig. 5-is a longitudinal cross section, parti ly broken away, of the suction head on line 5-5 of Fig. 4, showing the valve in open po sition;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal cross section of the suction head, as in Fig. 5, but showing the valve in the position in which one compartment of the suction chamber is open while the other is closed; and

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal cross section as in Figs. 5 and 6, showing the position of the valve when the perforated suction head cover is removed.

In carrying the invention into effect, there is provided in combination with the suction chamber of a wrapper carrier, a detachable suction plate for carrying the wrapper, which forms a wall of said chamber, and

means for automatically cutting off the suction to the chamber when the plate is detached. In the best constructions contemplated, this means includes valve mechanism within the head. In the bestconstructions also, this valve mechanism controls the suction in the chamber while the plate is atclaims,

pin 28 and the -be described, so as to tached. In the best construct-ions, the suction chamber has two compartments and the means provided for automatically cutting off the suction in said chamber when the plate is detached, controls the suction in said compartments when the plate is attached. -The means above referred to may be widely varied in construction within the scope of the for the particular machine selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible embodiments of the same. The invention therefore is not to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and de scribed.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the wrapper carrier neck 8 is rotatably supported from swinging arm 9, which is pivoted to movable arm 10 mounted on a vertical hollow shaft 11 supported by a frame 12 which also carries a statlonary cam plate 13. The latter is provided with suitably shaped cam tracks 14 and 15, the former, through a roller 16 on an arm 17 attached to the arm 9, controlling the' movement of. the arm 9 around the shaft 11, and the latter cam track, through a roller 18 on a Y-shaped arm 19 pivoted in a bracket 20 of the arm 10, and thence through a' rod 21 and an arm 22 attached to the carrier neck 8, controlling the rotary movement of the wrapper carrier in arm 9. The cam plate 13 is protected by a cover plate 23 fastened to it through spacers 24. To the wrapper carrier neck 8 is attached the suction head 25 having the perforated suction plate 26 which is held in place by a bolt 27 on one end, while the other end of the suction head 25 is equipped with a spring lock which resses the cover 26 against the suction head, this spring lock consisting of a cone headed pin 28 having a compression spring 29 hearing against a collar 30. The cover 26 has an open slot at each end so that it can be hooked to orunhooked from the bolt 27 by simply pressing down the pin 28 and turning the cover first from under the pin 28 and then from the bolt 27, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The suction head 25 communicates through the neck 8, the arms 9 and 10, and the shaft 11 with a suction pump or exhaust fan, and through the flexible connection 31 with the compressed air operated valves not shown, which turn on compressed air at the proper moment to free the head end of the wrapper. The suction chamber is divided into two compartments by a division wall 33, and the valve 34 is arranged in the suction head, as will presently operate to cbntrol the raises the valve rod 35 and pipe 32, controlled by camsuction from the carrier neck 8 in both compartments.

A valve rod 35 passes through the wrapper carrier neck 8 and on its upper end carries a cam roller 36 supported in a bracket 37 pivoted to fork piece 38 on the rod 35 for pivoted movement in one direction but held by a stop against pivotal movement in the other direction. A pivot spring 39 about the pivot of the bracket 37 holds the bracket 37 in an upright position against the stop.

In the travel of the wrapper carrier from the cutting die to the wrapper applying mechanism and back, the roller 36 engages twice with a cam finger 40 carried by a bracket 41' attached to the stationary cam plate 13 of the wrapper carrier. On its forward motion, when it carries afresh wrapper just taken from the cutting die and thus requires suction over its entire surface, the roller 36 hits the tip 42 of finger 40, displacing the bracket 37 about its pivot and allowing it to dip under the cam finger 40 without actuating rod 35, and thus permitting the wrapper carrier to pass without affecting the suction valve 34, which isnormally in the open position. y In its backward motion, however, when the suction head is swinging over the wrapping device and has already delivered a large portion of the wrapper to the cigar bunch so that suction is needed on the remaining portion of the wrapper only, the roller 36 engages with the inclined surface 43 of finger 40 and, since the bracket 37 is held by the spring and the stop in upright position, the rod 35 which is normally held in its raised position by a spring 59, is now depressed and the valve 34 connected thereto is operated to out off the suction from the compartment at the tuck orfront end of the wrapper carrier. A pin-44 is provided in the valve seat 51 valve in this position, while the roller 36 is in engagement with finger 40. After the roller has passed the finger and is emerging from under its tip, at the time when the wrapper carrier is about to swing away from the wrapping device, the spring 59 operates the valve 34 to start suction again in the tuck or front compartment. The rod 35 is guided in a shouldered recess of the carrier neck 8 by a long nut 45, which also serves as a lock nut for adjusting the fork piece 38. Below the shoulder of the rod guiding recess, the rod carries a coil spring 46 resting on a pinned washer 47. This spring comes into contact with the underside of the shoulder of neck 8, when the rod 35 is raised to remove the valve 34, and serves as a retainer for the rod, preventing the bearing surface of nut 45 from leaving the recess of the carrier neck.

lVhen not-actuated by the rod 35, the valve 34 is held in a position admitting suction to both compartments by a plunger 48, as long of partition wall 33 to stop the as the suction cover 26 is in place. As soon, however, as the cover is removed, the spring pressed plunger 48, which is normally pushed up by the cover, is released and the valve is rotated, shutting off the suction at the car rier neck from both compartments.

In Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the arrangement of the suction head and the construction of the automatic valve and its actuating parts are shown, and Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show the valve in its three operating positions.

The cylindrical neck portion of the suction head wall is provided with inwardly projecting portions shaped to form the valve seats 49 and 50, the top of the division wall 33 forming a third valve seat 51. The valve blade 34 is mounted for rotation on a shaft 52 centrally located between these three valve seats. The suction plate 26 is provided with the partition 53, which registers with the vertical end portion of division wall 33 when the cover is in place, thus sub-dividing the suction chamber into two compartments.

Into the front side wall of suction head 25 is fitted the valve holding block 54, which rotatably supports one end of the valve blade shaft 52, the other end of which is journalled in the rear side wall of the suction head. The shaft 52 has riveted to it the ins 55 and 56, having heads in the shape 0 balls throu h which the valve is operated by means of t e lungers 48 and 57 engaging the heads and Etted in vertical bores in block 54 on either side of shaft 52, and urged in the opposite directions by the compression springs 58 and 59, res ctively. Each of the plungers 48 and 57 as a portion of its cylindrical surface cut away to receive the shaft 52 between the resulting flat surfaces, thereby preventing the plungers from turning, and each has a hole drilled through it horizontally for engagement with one of the ball heads attached to shaft 52. The plunger 57 also has aslot cut into its top portion, into which fits the flattened end 0 the valve rod 35. The plun er 48 projects through an opening provide in the valveblock supporting portion of division wall 33 and engages a boss of the cover 26 registering with the said openin IV'hen the carrier travels empty to the cutting die, or when it is coming from the die with a wrapper, or when the rst portion of a wrapper W is being fed to a cigar bunch C, as shown in Fig. 5, in short, before the carrier has reached the cam finger 40 on its inward stroke, the spring 59 forces plunger 57 up wards, the hole therein engaging with the ball 56 and turning the shaft 52 until ball 55 is stopped by bearing against the fiat surface of pin 48. In this position, the ends of valve blade 34 are midway between the seats 49, 50 and 51,and all suction passages within the suction head are Wide open.

After the portion of wrapper W up to' partition 53 of cover 26 has been fed to the cigar bunch C, as shown inFig. 6, that is, when the roller 36 begins to engage with the surface 43 of finger 40, the rod 35 depresses the plunger 57 a ainst the spring 59, whereby the ball 56, w ich is in engagement with the hole in plunger 57 turns the shaft 52 until the blade 34 is stopped by bearin against the pin 44 in valve seat 51, the hide then covering the opening between seats'50 and 51 and cutting off the suction in the forward compartment of the suction chamber. As soon as the roller 36 has passed the tip 42 of finger 40, the valve rod 35 ascends into its normal position by-the upward pressure of the spring 59 on the pin 57, thereby also turnmg shaft 52 hack into the position shown in Fig. 5, and all suction passages are again open.

Finally, when the cover 26 is removed, as shown in Fig. 7, the spring 58 pushes the plunger pin 48 downward admitting ball head 55 to the hole in pin 48 and allowing counter clockwise rotation of the shaft 52 by the action of spring 59 on plunger 57 engaging ball head 56. The shaft 52 is rotated until the upper shoulder of pin 48 bears against shaft 52 in which position the valve blade 34 is held across the seats 49 and 50 and cuts off the suction from both compartments. As the shaft 52 is thus turned by the ball heads 55 and 56, the 'ball head 56 being in engagement with the hole in plunger 57, spring 59 raises plunger 57 until, in the closed position of the valve shown in Fig. 7, the lower shoulder of plunger 57 and the upper shoulder of plunger 48 bears against shaft 52. When the cover 26 is replaced after move the improved valve for cleaning, allthat is necessary is to take out the screws 62 which constitute all that fastens the block 54 in an opening in the side wall of the suction head. The entire valve mechanism can then be withdrawn as a single unit.

What is claimed is: 1

1. In a suction head for wrapper carriers the combination with a suction chamber, 0 a detachable suction plate for carrying the wrapper and forming a wall of said chamber, and means for automatically cutting off the suction when the plate is detached.

2. In a suction head for wrapper carriers. the combination with a suction chamber, 0 a detachable suction plate for carrying the wrapper and forming a wall of said chamber, a d ea s f r au omati al y c t g fi t e suction when the plate is detached, said means including valve' mechanism within the head.

In a. suction head for wrapper carriers, the combination with a suction chamber, of a detachable suction plate for carrying the wrapper and forming a wall of said chamber, and means for automatically cutting off the suction when the plate is detached, said means including valve mechanism mounted on a removable block within said head.

4. In a suction head for wrapper carriers, the combination with a suction chamber, of a detachablesnction plate for carrying the wrapper and forming a wall of said chamber, and means for automatically cutting 01f the suction when the plate is detached, said means including valve mechanism within the head and a spring pressed plunger for operating the valve mechanism and in engagement with said plate.

5. In a suction head for wrapper carriers, the combination with a suction chamber, of a detachable suction plate for carrying the wrapper and forming a wall of said chamber, and means for automatically cutting off the suction when the plate is detached, said means including valve mechanism within the head controlling the suction While the plate is attached.

(5. In a suction head for wrapper carriers, the combination with a suction chamber having two compartments, of a detachablb suction plate for carrying the wrapper and forming a wall of said chamber, and means for automatically cutting off the suction in said compartments when the plate is detached.

7. In a suction head for wrapper carriers, the combination with a suction chamber having two compartments, of a detachable suction plate for carrying the wrapper and forming a wall of said chamber, and means for automatically cutting ofl the suction in said compartments when the plate is detached, said means including valve mechanism controlling the suction in said compartments while the plate is attached.

8. In a suction head for wrapper carriers, the combination with a suction chamber having two compartments, of a detachable suction plate for carrying the wrapper and forming a wall of said chamber, and means for automatically cutting off the suction in said compartments when the plate is detached, said means including a rotary valve in said head and mechanism rotating said valve to control the suction in said compartment.

9. In a suction head for wrapper carriers, the combination with a suction chamber having two compartments, of a detachable suction plate for carrying the wrapper and forming a wall of said chamber, and means for auton'iatically cutting olt' the suction in said compartments when the plate is detached, said means including a rotary valve operative in one position to out off the suction in both compartmentsrand in another position to cut ofi' the suction in one compartment only and mechanism for rotating said valve.

In testimony whereof, I have-signed my name to this specification.

JOHN F. HALSTEAD. 

